Ministers deliver relief hampers to Region Three flood victims

Several ministers of Government returned to flood-ravaged Region Three communities on Saturday to distribute hampers to affected residents.

The interventions were made following President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s visit to the Region on Friday to assess the extent of the devastation there.

Minister of Education, Hon. Priya Manickchand and Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Hon. Deodat Indar first stopped at Naamryck, where they assured residents of the Government’s full support.

The community was flooded after heavy rainfall caused the conservancy to overflow. This resulted in flooded homes and loss of crops and livestock.

Minister Manickchand told residents the Government will not leave them in hard times.

“Please know that you will not be left alone. We are going to look at how we can repair economically and otherwise, the damage that would have been caused to you.

So, we just want to briefly tell you that so that you do not worry and distress yourself unnecessarily,” she said.

Additionally, Minister Indar said excavators have been deployed to imploder the conservancy dam to prevent further overtopping. However, he noted that the Government will provide more relief.

“Tomorrow the NDC Chairman will get some hampers and some cleaning items. We are packing it… last night we start to pack it, they are still packing it now. Tomorrow they will come and they will deliver to him and he will come to the neighbourhood and at least give some food hampers and cleaning items.

In addition to that, when this is over, when the water recedes, the team will come in here from Agriculture to do an assessment of the damage… Right now, the priority of Government is to make sure that you have food and you have shelter, that is the main thing and to minimise the damage as much as we can,” he said.  

The Ministers then visited Patentia, Vriesland, Belle West and other areas to deliver food hampers and a quantity of cleaning supplies as promised by President Ali.  During that exercise, they were accompanied by Minister of Human Services and Social Security Hon. Dr. Vindhya Persaud.

Minister Persaud thanked the business community for contributing to those in need.

“Last evening, we quickly got together 500 hampers. I really want to thank the staff and all those who donated towards this; AmCham, the  business community, the corporate world for coming together with the Ministry of Human Services and ensuring that today we can not only bring food items,  but care packages for children, for women, mattresses for people who would have been up to their ears in water,” she said.

Minister Indar said he is pleased with the integrated response by Government to ensure that affected persons are given assistance.

“This morning, Minister Manickchand also arranged from the CDC through Prime Minister and we are very thankful for the CDC and the Prime Minister for 1000 hampers to be sent into the areas of Belle West, Canal Number One, the conservancy, Number Two conservancy, some for Uitvlugt and some of the other villages on the west coast that were affected,” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister Manickchand said the Government is committed to addressing the needs of its people and those severely affected will be will be catered to first.

“Be sure about us as a Government. There would not always be easy times, we are absolutely certain about that, we will try to make it easy but there would not always be easy times.

One thing people can count on us for across the country is that we would not leave you alone. So, we will be here with you in hard times and in good times and that is our commitment to every community in Guyana,” Minister Manickchand said.

President Ali and Ministers of Government have been fanning out countrywide to bring relief to those affected by the flood.